


Opening Up

by reigningqueenofwords



Series: Country Knight [5]
Category: The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead AU - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Talk of Physical Abuse, Talk of emotional abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 07:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17803742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reigningqueenofwords/pseuds/reigningqueenofwords





	Opening Up

Daryl quickly became your best friend, and Rori was his biggest fan. She could tell his motorcycle apart from others amazingly enough. He’d bought her a little Harley shirt, and it was her favorite. You had to admit that she looked extremely adorable in it. He was great with her, and you were thankful when he’d helped out more than once when you were called into work during an evening rush. 

Soon, you had pictures on your phone of Rori on his bike, grinning like there was no tomorrow. You also had a couple of Daryl sleeping on the couch with Rori passed out over him from when you’d had to work late. A princess movie would be playing in the background.

While you you were falling for him, you pushed the feelings down. You still had a bad taste in your mouth from your last relationship, and just couldn’t do it. You avoided admitting it to yourself at all costs.

You never saw how Daryl looked at you, and never knew how much he’d come to care about the two of you. He thought of you as ‘ _his girls_ ’, but could tell you weren’t ready for something like that.

One afternoon, Rori was napping while the two of you sat on your balcony, watching the rain. “Can I ask you somethin’, sweetheart?” He glanced at you, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Yeah, sure.” You nodded.

Daryl took a deep breath. “You never mention her father. Hell, _she_ never brings him up. I know it’s not my place, but what happened?”

You looked at him for a moment and licked your lips. It took you a second to compose yourself. “When I met her father, he was charming, sweet, thoughtful, and handsome.” You looked out towards the rain. “I was 18, and he was 21. Swept me _right_ off my feet.” Chewing on your lip, it was obvious you were trying not to look at him. “Right after my 19th birthday, I moved in with him. I was so happy, but that’s when things started to change. He wasn’t him anymore.” You set your drink down. “He started getting more controlling, more angry all the time. It got worse and worse. When I was 21 I got pregnant. He was over the moon. Things got back to how they were in the beginning for a bit. Until I started to really show. Then he’d control what I ate, how often, things like that. I was isolated, and didn’t have any friends of my own, so I couldn’t really reach out.” You took a deep breath. “The first time he hit me, Rori was 6 months old. She was crying, and I couldn’t get her to stop. He had worked the night before. When I finally got her back down, he was already pissed. Slapped me for keeping him up. He came home with flowers the next day.” Automatically, your hand went to your cheek. “The last straw was when she was about a year and a half. I was in her room cleaning and she was in her crib. He came home out of his mind. Yelling and cursing up a storm. Seeing him like that scared her, so she started screaming. That made him even madder. I tried to calm him down, take him in the other room. _Anything_ so she wouldn’t see that. I wound up with a split lip and a few stitches in my head. While he was out drinking a couple days later, I packed what I could, and left. Took all the valuables I could to sell and drove to my parents. Stayed there for a bit, got back on my feet as well as I could, and here I am.” Your voice was soft. “Sh-she really doesn’t remember him. She won’t. He’ll fade from her mind. _That_ will fade from her mind. We have no pictures of him, and I plan to change her last name as soon as I have the money.” You’d done well to push that down, and get back to how you were before him, but getting that close to someone scared the hell out of you.

Daryl got angrier the more he heard. He wanted to kill him for laying a hand on you- and who knew how many other woman. “He know where you are?” He asked.

You shook your head. “I don’t think so.” You told him, looking over. “I mean, if he did, he would have shown up. Yelling and dragging us back.”

He got up and motioned for you to do the same. Pulling you into a hug, he sighed. “I wouldn’t let him. Don’t worry. If you think he’s in town, call Rick.”

Nodding you looked up at him. “I will.” You gave him a small smile. “Thank you, Daryl. For everything.”

“I’m a regular ol’ country knight!” He laughed, making you grin and shake your head. Your eyes locked for a minute before he leaned forward, his lips brushing yours gently.

You kissed him back softly, your heart racing. When you pulled away, you bit your lip. “I like you, a lot. I _really_ do. I’m just…” You put your head against his chest, trying to find the words without hurting him. You didn’t want to make him think that you put him in line with your ex, that you were just scared.

Daryl understood, though. He kissed the top of your head. “I get it, princess. I’ll be here when you’re ready.” He whispered into your hair, reassuring you.


End file.
